Jeffrey DeMann is an American stage and film actor. Known for his roles in the best films directed by Frank Darabont ("The Green Mile", "The Shawshank Redemption"), as well as his performance as the killer Andrei Chikatilo, for which he received many nominations and awards.
Biography
Jeffrey DeMunn was born on April 25, 1947 in Buffalo, upstate New York. His parents, James and Violet Paulus DeMann, were actors, so it is not surprising that the choice of the young man's future life path fell on this profession. After leaving school, Jeffrey entered Union College, after which he received a bachelor's degree in English.
Theatrical roles
In the early 1970s, DeMann moved to England, where he practiced his acting skills for two years at London's famous Old Vic theater school. Upon his return to the US in 1972, he began performing on the Royal Shakespeare Company's national tour, playing in two plays, King Lear and A Midsummer Night's Dream. After the tour ended, he took part inseveral Broadway productions, including Bent (Bent), Modigliani (Modigliani) and A Midsummer Night's Dream. DeMann has also been involved in productions of emerging plays at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center. In 1983, he took part in the production of K2 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre. A role in Arthur Miller's play Death of a Salesman was one of Jeffrey DeMann's recent credits.
Filmography
DeMann is known for his collaborations with director Frank Darabont on such films as The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, The Majestic and The Mist. In 1988, he also appeared in a remake of the horror film The Drop, co-written by Darabont. In addition to numerous roles in cult films, Jeffrey DeMunn voiced two novels by Stephen King: "Dreamcatcher" and "Colorado Kid". In 1995, he received the CableACE Award for "Best Supporting Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries" for his portrayal of serial killer Andrei Chikatilo in the HBO television film Citizen X. The same role also earned him a Primetime Emmy Award for "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie".
Television
Among other things, DeMann often appears on television. His extensive roster of work includes roles in series such asKojak: The Price of Justice, Moonlight Detective Agency, L. A. Law, and The West Wing. DeMann played the role of Norman Rothenberg in the television show Law & Order and its sequel Law & Order: Trial by Jury; appeared in the 1999 miniseries Storm of the Century, written by Stephen King; played the role of Dale Horvath in two seasons of Frank Darabont's popular series The Walking Dead, after which in 2013 Darabont invited him to play the role of Hal Morrison in his other series, Gangster City.
The actor currently has a recurring supporting role in the drama series Billions.
Friendship with Frank Darabont
During the years of working together, Darabont and DeMann have built a good relationship of trust with each other. And it's beneficial for both of them. When Darabont has a suitable role, he simply calls his friend Geoffrey and offers it to him. DeMann no longer needs to read the script, he has complete confidence in his director, because he is sure that working with Frank, he is working with the best, and it will be an exciting job.
Leaving The Walking Dead
When Frank Darabont left the show during the filming of The Walking Dead season 2, Jeffrey DeMunn didn't stay long either.
According to rumors, the producer was fired because his work on the show cost the channelAMC is too expensive. After the departure of Frank, all the actors of the series were clearly upset. In the end, this man gave the first big role in his career to many. And since Darabont was a very close friend and colleague of DeMann, the actor took the producer's dismissal to heart. This prompted him to make the decision to leave the show.
Darabont says "Yeah, Jeff didn't want to stay here. Because Jeff is an ordinary person with a lot of… he doesn't need this job. He's not overly extravagant or extravagant, he just wants peace in his life. a good and decent person, which, of course, has nothing to do with those who remained in the series."
Private life
Currently, Jeffrey DeMunn is married, although he has been divorced once in the past. In 1974, he married his girlfriend Ann Sezher. Their relationship was going pretty well until serious problems arose. Therefore, in 1995, after 21 years of married life, the couple decided to leave, and in the same year they divorced. They did not have children together.
Later, in 2001, Jeffrey married Kerry Lee. There were no rumors of divorce or family problems, the couple have been truly happy together for a long time. They have two children: Heather and Kevin.
